Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Space Wolves - Space Wolves II

Album review by KevW

Putting bands like Klaxons to shame, New York lo-fi popsters Space Wolves put out their second album in as many months. Maybe they used all their creativity up on concocting another batch of shambolic DIY indie/garage tunes, but they could only come up with 'Space Wolves II' as the title. It pretty much carries on where the first album left off, but maybe with a bit of a softer, poppier side on display this time around. It's packed with melody and most of the songs sound like they were recorded in one take, which maybe they were. Once again we're looking at short, sharp blasts of song that don't outstay they welcome, in fact they barely even get in the door before buggering off without so much as taking their coat off.

Nothing cracks the three minute mark (maybe they can set that as a goal for 'Space Wolves III', should there be one) and that's why this album is engaging. You won't find your new favourite song hidden away amongst this lot, however you'll find some cracking guitar-pop made by people who care and have an understanding of how this genre works. Too much lo-fi drags on, is engineered to sound primitive or is just a plain old racket. Space Wolves know that you need decent songs, you need to record them using the equipment you have, not in some posh studio, and that you need to leave them as they sound recorded in that manner. Not add faux distortion and noise.

So 'Space Wolves II' sounds entirely natural, and that's something that will always be a bonus; this is how these songs were born, they haven't opted for cosmetic surgery and are all the better for it. People talk about authenticity in music being important, if you're one such person then you'll fully appreciate these ragged guitar-pop gems with their simplistic approach to recording and clear knack for conjuring up a decent tune or twelve. The best songs? It would be a waste of time isolating tracks, this is pure consistency. If you like one track you'll like the rest, if you don't like one then go running off back to your auto-tune.